The White House released its FY2013 budget request today. We will have more analysis on what this request means for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, child survival and other PSI priorities. For now, though, it is worth highlighting that this budget request keeps the United States on track to meet a three year, $4 billion commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

This is very welcome news. The Global Fund has been a very effective tool for taking on these three deadly diseases. (And it has a great track record of accomplishments since it was first created 10 years ago.) The US Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby explains why the administration decided to keep up its support for the Global Fund by asking Congress to approve $1.65 billion for the fund this year. From the State Department’s DipNote blog:

As the President has stated, the response to the global AIDS pandemic is a shared responsibility. The Global Fund is the vehicle for others to step up and increase their investments. In fact, each dollar we invest in the Fund leverages $2.50 from other donors, and we will continue to seek to leverage our donations with other partners.

In October 2010, the U.S. tied our historic multi-year pledge to the Global Fund to successful implementation of reforms that increase the impact of grants. The Fund took decisive action in adopting comprehensive reforms last year, and we are encouraged by the appointment of the Fund’s new General Manager, Gabriel Jaramillo, who has promised to advance the reform agenda as rapidly as possible. As a sign of support, the Gates Foundation has recently announced a $750 million commitment to the Fund, and Saudi Arabia has stepped up and contributed to the Fund for the first time.

I want to address any concern that our increased investment in the Global Fund may interfere with PEPFAR’s ability to reach its bilateral goals. I can say with conviction that if this was the case, we would not be doing it. Our Global Fund investment is critical to the ability of our bilateral PEPFAR program to reach its goals. These two U.S.-supported efforts on global AIDS are now truly interdependent and collaborative. We are jointly funding many country programs and specific service sites, and as we review our country PEPFAR programs, again and again we see that the success of Global Fund grants is a critical factor in the success of our work.

Saving lives is the bottom line, and to reach it, we need a strong PEPFAR and a strong Global Fund.

The next step is for Congress to approve a federal budget which is characteristically a contentious political undertaking. Still, it is very welcome to see the White House expressing its support for the Global Fund through this request to Congress.